The Loma watch, a powerful strike force

Following his collaboration with the Ukrainian boxer Vasyl Lomachenko – winner of one Europe championship title, two Olympic gold medals and three World championship titles – #christopheclaret unveils the Loma watch, a mono-pusher chronograph with striking mechanism and constant force escapement. This timepiece, born of the collaboration between the watchmaker and the boxer and uniting their shared passions, will be available on the markets from September.

Ringside encounter

April 12^th 2019: Vasyl Lomachenko, nicknamed the "Picasso" of world boxing, achieves yet another masterful feat. In his Los Angeles fight against Englishman Anthony Crolla, Vasyl Lomachenko successfully defended his WBA and WBO lightweight belts by beating his opponent with a spectacular knockout in the fourth round. The Ukrainian boxer has already won the title of Europe champion in Liverpool (2008) in the featherweight category, the title of double Olympic champion – in Beijing (2008) in the featherweight category and in London (2012) in the lightweight category – as well as three World titles in only 12 professional fights: in Chicago (2007) and in Milan (2009) in the featherweight category and in Baku (2011) in the lightweight category.

That same day in Los Angeles, #christopheclaret met Vasyl Lomachenko through Saïd Taghmaoui, a famous Franco-American actor who made his breakout in the film La Haine in 1996 and has been the #christopheclaret brand Ambassador since January 2019. The encounter gave rise to a collaboration between the watchmaker and the boxer that resulted in the creation of this timepiece.

Precision, Rigorous Discipline, Patience, Speed, Elegance and Talent are the shared qualities demonstrated by these two Maestros in their respective arts.

Tribute to the Ukrainian boxing champion

This alliance between #christopheclaret and Loma is no coincidence. In 2013 already, #christopheclaret drew inspiration from the world of boxing based on a simple observation: the ringside boxing bell is one of the most recognizable sounds in sport, signaling the moment boxers go head to head in the ring. A boxing bout is divided into rounds, punctuated by one-minute periods of rest, all announced by the ringside bell. So it is only natural to mark the start of a chronograph with such a sound. This led to the creation of the Kantharos model, a mono-pusher chronograph with constant-force escapement and cathedral-gong striking mechanism, equipped with an ingenious chiming system activated in each mode (start, stop, reset) – that also inspired #christopheclaret in creating the Loma watch. 

The Loma watch leaves nothing to chance. Its blue layered dial skillfully plays on depth and transparency, accentuating the visual field, while catching and holding light. Designed like a boxing ring in which the actors display their remarkable skills, it is swept over by the central seconds hand, the black PVD and sapphire hours and minutes hands coated with yellow and white Super-LumiNova®. With chronograph counters on either side, the constant-force device appears to be at dial level – an impressive structural achievement in itself. These counters, bearing transfers of the two Olympic medals in their respective centers, combine strong character with an original disk-type display. One fixed sapphire disk carries the numerals, while a second mobile black and yellow disk positioned below features an indicator. Each is rimmed with a graduated step, giving the display a pleasing sense of dimensionality. Everything about this watch evokes the boxing world and its Ukrainian champion: witness the choice of mainly blue and yellow colors recalling the national flag; the yellow-lacquered “Loma” inscription on the blue alligator leather strap; the transfers of the belts on the folding clasp as well as the inscription “Round” engraved on the 2 o’clock pusher and enhanced with yellow Super-LumiNova®.

An extremely technical round

This #christopheclaret creation encapsulates both Haute Horlogerie expertise and High-Tech precision. This mono-pusher chronograph with striking mechanism and constant-force escapement asserts its codes and reinvents short-time measurement. 

The concept is entirely in line with #christopheclaret, which has repeatedly distinguished itself with innovative striking mechanisms featuring cathedral gongs. The latter, the acknowledged king of chimes, engraved with a gong hammer, is visible at 10 o’clock and equipped with a patented system that avoids the gong vibrating against the case. The chronograph delivers peerless and reliable performance. Its clutch disk system prevents the hand from jumping when the chronograph starts to enhance precision. This useful, functional and entertaining chronograph plays on the sensorial – acoustic and tactile – interaction between the instrument and its owner. 

In addition to this innovative complication, the Loma watch is also equipped with a constant-force escapement, a nod to the boxing champion, who has demonstrated impressive and constant strength during his fights. Majestically enthroned on the dial side at 6 o’clock, this clever mechanism is a key component that considerably reduces timing variations. The energy delivered to the escapement remains constant from beginning to end of the power reserve. Precision is the overriding goal. The perpetually moving mechanism exercises a hypnotic visual effect, which may be admired beneath a meticulously chamfered sapphire bridge revealing the full extent of the master-watchmaker’s know-how.  

Housed inside a 45 mm-diameter case, the movement was designed, developed and assembled in-house. This extremely complex caliber is not built up layer by layer, as is usually the case, but is fully integrated – a unified approach that enhances finesse, performance and coherent technical and aesthetic appeal. The movement design is a feat in its own right. The platinum rotor boasts increased inertia and the mainspring guarantees a 40-hour power reserve.  

Clearly visible through the sapphire crystal case back and fitted with 75 jewels – an impressive number that single-handedly symbolizes the complexity of the mechanism – the caliber conceals nothing of its refined finishing. Among its 570 components, the swan-neck regulator spring and oscillating winding rotor feature hand-crafted finishes reflecting the finest Haute Horlogerie traditions. These include polished internal angles, an extremely demanding technique. This wealth of subtle touches offers vivid proof that aesthetic precision pervades even the smallest of components and fully matches the outstanding technical performance of the timepiece. 

Technical data 

Movement:

Caliber:MBA13, automatic winding mechanical movement 

Dimensions:  31.60 x 10.56 mm (without gong)

37.60 x 10.56 mm (with gong)

Number of components: 570

Number of jewels: 75

Power reserve: 40 hours (approx.) 

Escapement:Swiss lever-type, 3 Hz (21,600 vph), constant force

Functions:

• Hours and minutes
• Mono-pusher chronograph
• Chronograph chimes each time the function is changed (start, stop, reset)
• Patented cathedral gong
• Constant-force mechanism at 6 o'clock 

Case:
Diameter:45 mm

Height: 15.83 mm

Water resistance:30 m (3 ATM)